1. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. {came: or, came to pass: Heb. was} →

So in 1 Samuel 4, things get really wild. Basically, the Israelites go up against the Philistines, and it's not looking great. So they grab the Arc of the Covenant and they're like, "we gotta carry this into battle, it'll help us win. →

Joe: Alright, Bible Expert. What have we got for this chapter? Bible Expert: Well, Joe, 1 Samuel 4 starts off with the Israelites preparing for war against the Philistines. Joe: War? What happened? →

Contestant: In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites go to battle against the Philistines. Alex Trebek: (sighs) Alright, that's interesting. What else? Contestant: The Israelites end up losing the battle, and their Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines. →

Listen up, maggots! Chapter 4 of 1 Samuel is about the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines. The Israelites bring out their sacred Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield, thinking it'll give them an edge, but the Philistines outsmart them and win. →

Batman: All right, Robin. Let's see what's going on in 1 Samuel 4. Robin: Right, Batman! It says that the Israelites were fighting the Philistines, and they were losing. Batman: That's no good. What happened? →

Listen, Jack, here's the deal. God was getting frustrated with the Israelites because they weren't worshipping Him properly. So, He sent a message to them - and it was a doozy. He told them they needed to go and fight the Philistines. →

1 Samuel 4 is an amazing chapter, with a sad ending! The Israelites were losing to the Philistines in battle, and they decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield, believing it would make them great again. →

Peter Griffin: Alright, so 1 Samuel 4 starts off with the Israelites fighting against their enemies, the Philistines. But then the Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant, which obviously causes a stir. →